1. Field
The present application relates to a culture observation equipment which has an optical device such as a microscope.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, research and development of cell culture has been spread widely in the field of regenerative medicine and drug development, where culture devices (incubators) which culture cells and observation equipments such as a microscope to observe cell situation are used. Conventionally, when samples during culture in an incubator are observed, a holder containing samples is taken out from a culture chamber temporarily to be placed on an observation stage for observation, and thereafter the holder is returned to the culture chamber again.
Further, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-180675), a microscope is placed in a shield case separating the microscope from the culture chamber so that the environment in the culture chamber is not fluctuated, hence optical devices are not damaged.
In Patent Document 1, a microscope unit can be moved in the three dimensional direction, X, Y and Z, so as to advance towards the observation part, accordingly, working distance can be shortened. However, such a stage mechanism is required that has a large driving power to drive the whole microscope unit in the three dimensional directions, X, Y and Z. Therefore, when moving among the observation points, there is a task to improve quick response.
In view of the above task, it is the proposition to provide a culture observation equipment with high response performance and excellent environmental resistance.
An culture chamber includes an culture chamber, an observation chamber having an optical system of observation to observe samples cultured in the culture chamber, and a movement stage provided at a boundary which separates the culture chamber and the observation chamber, functioning as a wall to maintain an environment of both chambers, bearing the samples, and moving the samples on a light axis of observation of the optical system of observation in an orthogonal direction thereto.
Particularly, the movement stage is arranged to be coupled to a connecting material which is elastic and forms a boundary between the culture chamber and the observation chamber.
Further, the connecting material is made up of an elastic material having elasticity.
Alternatively, the connecting material includes a plate material which supports the movement stage and shielding liquid which lies between the movement stage and the plate material.
Particularly, the elastic material is made up of rubber provided with flexure being elastic in all circumferential directions.
Further, a section of the elastic material in a direction of expanding and shrinking is formed to have a rectangular shape.
In addition, the culture observation equipment includes driving units to drive the movement stage in horizontal direction so as to move a target point of observation of the sample, and optical driving units to drive the optical system of observation in vertical direction so as to focus on the sample.
Particularly, the movement stage is made up of transparent material and a fixed partition around the movement stage is made up of light shielding material.
Further, the connecting material is made up of low reflection and light shielding material.